One Thousand and One Nights, page 262
He abode awhile in the exercise of his office, till, one day, his mother went in to the wife of the Chief of the Police, who said to her, ‘Praised be God who hath delivered thy son from prison and restored him to health and safety! But why dost thou not bid him cast about to get the girl Jessamine for my son Hebezlem Bezazeh?’ ‘That will I,’ answered she and going out from her, repaired to her son. She found him drunken and said to him, ‘O my son, none was the cause of thy release from prison but the wife of the Master of Police, and she would have thee go about to kill Alaeddin Abou esh Shamat and get his slave-girl Jessamine for her son Hebezlem Bezazeh.’ ‘That will be the easiest of things,’ answered he, ‘and I will set about it this very night.’ Now this was the first night of the new month, and it was the Khalif’s wont to pass that night with the Princess Zubeideh, for the setting free of a male or female slave or what not else of the like. On this occasion, he used to doff his royal habit and lay it upon a chair in the sitting-chamber, together with his rosary and dagger and royal signet and a golden lantern, adorned with three jewels strung on a wire of gold, by which he set great store, committing all these things to the charge of the eunuchs, whilst he sent into the Lady Zubeideh’s apartment. So Ahmed Kemakim waited till midnight, when Canopus shone and all creatures slept, whilst the Creator covered them with the curtain [of the dark]. Then he took his naked sword in one hand and his grappling iron in the other, and repairing to the Khalif’s pavilion, cast his grapnel on to the roof. It caught there and he fixed his rope-ladder and climbed up to the roof; then, raising the trap-door, let himself down into the saloon, where he found the eunuchs asleep. So he drugged them with henbane and taking the Khalif’s dress and dagger and rosary and handkerchief and signet-ring and lantern, returned whence he came and betook himself to the house of Alaeddin, who had that night celebrated his wedding festivities with Jessamine and had gone in to her and gotten her with child. Ahmed climbed over into his saloon and raising one of the marble slabs of the floor, dug a hole under it and laid the stolen things therein, all save the lantern, which he kept, saying in himself, ‘I will set it before me, when I sit at wine, and drink by its light.’ Then he plastered down the marble slab, as it was, and returning whence he came, went back to his own house. As soon as it was day, the Khalif went out into the sitting-chamber, and finding the eunuchs drugged with henbane, aroused them. Then he put his hand to the chair and found neither dress nor signet nor rosary nor dagger nor lantern; whereat he was exceeding wroth and donning the habit of anger, which was red, sat down in the Divan. So the Vizier Jaafer came forward and kissing the earth before him, said, ‘May God avert the wrath of the Commander of the Faithful!’ ‘O Vizier,’ answered the Khalif, ‘I am exceeding wroth!’ ‘What has happened?’ asked Jaafer; so he told him what had happened and when the Chief of the Police appeared, with Ahmed Kemakim at his stirrup, he said to him, ‘O Amir Khalid, how goes Baghdad?’ And he answered, ‘It is safe and quiet.’ ‘Thou liest!’ rejoined the Khalif. ‘How so, O Commander of the Faithful?’ asked the Amir. So he told him the case and added, ‘I charge thee to bring me back all the stolen things.’ ‘O Commander of the Faithful’, replied the Amir, ‘the vinegar-worm is of and in the vinegar, and no stranger can get at this place.’ But the Khalif said, ‘Except thou bring me these things, I will put thee to death.’ Quoth Khalid, ‘Ere thou slay me, slay Ahmed Kemakim, for none should know the robber and the traitor but the captain of the watch.’ Then came forward Ahmed Kemakim and said to the Khalif, ‘Accept my intercession for the Master of Police, and I will be responsible to thee for the thief and will follow his track till I find him; but give me two Cadis and two Assessors, for he who did this thing feareth thee not, nor doth he fear the Chief of the Police nor any other.’ ‘Thou shalt have what thou seekest,’ answered the Khalif; ‘but let search be made first in my palace and then in those of the Vizier and the Chief of the Sixty.’ ‘Thou sayst well, O Commander of the Faithful,’ rejoined Ahmed; ‘most like the thief is one who had been reared in thy household or that of one of thy chief officers.’ ‘As my head liveth,’ said Haroun, ‘whosoever shall appear to have done the deed, I will put him to death, be it my very own son!’ Then Ahmed Kemakim received a written warrant to enter and search the houses and taking in his hand a [divining] rod made of equal parts of bronze, copper, iron and steel, went forth, attended by the Cadis and Assessors and the Chief of the Police. He first searched the palace of the Khalif, then that of the Vizier Jaafer; after which he went the round of the houses of the chamberlains and officers, till he came to that of Alaeddin. When the latter heard the clamour before his house, he left his wife and opening the door, found the Master of Police without, with a crowd of people. So he said, ‘What is the matter, O Amir Khalid?’ The Chief of the Police told him the case and Alaeddin said, ‘Enter my house and search it.’ ‘Pardon, O my lord,’ replied the Amir; ‘thou art a man in authority, and God forbid that such should be guilty of treason!’ Quoth Alaeddin, ‘Needs must my house be searched. So they entered, and Ahmed Kemakim went straight to the saloon and let the rod fall upon the slab, under which he had buried the stolen goods, with such force that the marble broke in sunder and discovered something that glistened underneath. Then said he, ‘In the name of God! what He willeth! Thanks to our coming, we have lit upon a treasure. Let us go down into this hiding-place and see what is therein.’ So the Cadis and Assessors looked down into the hole and finding there the stolen goods, drew up a statement of how they had discovered them in Alaeddin’s house, to which they set their seals. Then they bade seize upon Alaeddin and took his turban from his head, and making an inventory of all his property and effects, [sealed them up]. Meanwhile, Ahmed Kemakim laid hands on Jessamine, who was with child by Alaeddin, and committed her to his mother, saying, ‘Deliver her to the Lady Khatoun.’ So the old woman took her and carried her to the wife of the Master of Police. As soon as Hebezlem saw her, health and strength returned to him and he arose forthright, rejoicing greatly, and would have drawn near her: but she pulled a dagger from her girdle and said, ‘Keep off from me, or I will kill thee and myself after.’ ‘O strumpet,’ exclaimed his mother, ‘let my son have his will of thee!’ But Jessamine answered, ‘O bitch, by what code is it lawful for a woman to marry two husbands, and how shall the dog take the lion’s place?’ With this Hebezlem’s passion redoubled and he sickened for unfulfilled desire and refusing food, took to his bed again. Then said his mother to her, ‘O harlot, how canst thou make me thus to sorrow for my son? Needs must I punish thee, and as for Alaeddin, he will assuredly be hanged.’ ‘And I will die for love of him,’ answered Jessamine. Then Khatoun stripped her of her jewels and silken raiment and clothing her in sackcloth drawers and a shift of hair-cloth, sent her down into the kitchen and made her a scullery-wench, saying, ‘Thy punishment shall be to split wood and peel onions and set fire under the cooking pots.’ Quoth she, ‘I am willing to brook all manner of hardship and servitude, but not thy son’s sight.’ But God inclined the hearts of the slave-girls to her and they used to do her service in the kitchen.
Meanwhile, they carried Alaeddin to the Divan and brought him, together with the stolen goods, before the Khalif, who said, ‘Where did ye find them?’ ‘Amiddleward Alaeddin’s house,’ answered they; whereat the Khalif was filled with wrath and took the things, but found not the lantern among them, and said to Alaeddin, ‘Where is the lantern?’ ‘I know nought of it,’ answered he; ‘it was not I that stole it.’ ‘O traitor,’ said the Khalif, ‘how comes it that I brought thee near unto me and thou hast cast me out, and I trusted in thee and thou hast betrayed me?’ And he commanded to hang him. So the Chief of the Police took him and went down with him into the city, whilst the crier forewent them, proclaiming aloud and saying, ‘This is the reward and the least of the reward of him who doth treason against the orthodox Khalifs!’ And the folk flocked to the gallows.
Meanwhile, Ahmed ed Denef, Alaeddin’s adopted father, was sitting, making merry with his followers in a garden, when in came one of the water-carriers of the Divan and kissing Ahmed’s hand, said to him, ‘O Captain, thou sittest at thine ease, with water running at thy feet, and knowest not what has happened.’ ‘What is to do?’ asked Ahmed, and the other answered, ‘They have gone down with thine adopted son, Alaeddin, to the gallows.’ ‘O Hassan Shouman,’ said Ahmed, ‘What sayst thou of this?’ ‘Assuredly, Alaeddin is innocent’ replied his lieutenant; ‘and this is some enemy’s practice against him.’ Quoth Ahmed, ‘What counsellest thou?’ And Hassan said, ‘God willing, we must rescue him.’ Then he went to the prison and said to the gaoler, ‘Give us some one deserving of death.’ So he gave him one that was likest to Alaeddin and they covered his head and carried him to the place of execution between Ahmed ed Denef and Ali ez Zibec of Cairo. Now they had brought Alaeddin to the gibbet, to hang him, but Ahmed ed Denef came forward and set his foot on that of the hangman, who said, ‘Give me room to do my office.’ ‘O accursed one,’ replied Ahmed, ‘take this man and hang him in Alaeddin’s stead; for he is innocent and we will ransom him with this fellow, even as Abraham ransomed Ishmael with the ram.’ So the hangman took the man and hanged him in Alaeddin’s room. Then Ahmed and Ali took Alaeddin and carried him to the house of the former, to whom said he, ‘O my father, may God abundantly requite thee!’ ‘O Alaeddin,’ said Ahmed, ‘what is this thou hast done? God’s mercy on him who said, “Whoso trusteth in thee, betray him not, though thou be a traitor.” Now the Khalif set thee in high place about him and styled thee “Trusty” and “Faithful;” how then couldst thou deal thus with him and steal his goods?’ ‘By the Most Great Name, O my father,’ replied Alaeddin, ‘I had no hand in this, nor do I know who did it.’ Quoth Ahmed, ‘Of a surety none did this but a manifest enemy and whoso doth aught shall be requited for his deed; but, O Alaeddin, thou canst tarry no longer in Baghdad, for kings, O my son, may not be bought off and longsome is his travail whom they pursue.’ ‘Whither shall I go, O my father?’ asked Alaeddin. ‘O my son,’ answered Ahmed, ‘I will bring thee to Alexandria, for it is a blessed place; its environs are green and its sojourn pleasant.’ And Alaeddin said, ‘I hear and obey, O my father.’ So Ahmed said to Hassan Shouman, ‘Be mindful and when the Khalif asks for me, say I am gone on a circuit of the provinces.’ Then, taking Alaeddin, he went forth of Baghdad and stayed not till they came to the vineyards and gardens, where they met two Jews of the Khalif’s tax-gatherers, riding on mules, and Ahmed said to them, ‘Give me the guard-money.’ ‘Why should we give thee guard-money?’ asked they. ‘Because,’ answered he, ‘I am the patrol of this valley.’ So they gave him each a hundred dinars, after which he slew them and took their mules, one of which he mounted, whilst Alaeddin bestrode the other. Then they rode on, till they came to the city of Ayas and put up for the night at an inn. Next morning, Alaeddin sold his own mule and committed that of Ahmed to the charge of the doorkeeper of the inn, after which they took ship from the port of Ayas and sailed to Alexandria. Here they landed and proceeded to the Bazaar, where they found a broker crying a shop and a chamber behind it for sale. The last bidding for the premises (which belonged to the Treasury) was nine hundred and fifty dirhems; so Alaeddin bid a thousand and his offer being accepted, took the keys and opened the shop and room, which latter he found furnished with carpets and cushions. Moreover, he found there a storehouse full of sails and masts and ropes and chests and bags of beads and shells and stirrups and axes and maces and knives and scissors and what not else, for the last owner of the shop had been a dealer in second-hand goods. So he took his seat in the shop and Ahmed ed Denef said to him, ‘O my son, the shop and room and that which is therein are become thine; so abide thou here and buy and sell and grudge not, neither repine; for God the Most High blesseth trade.’ After this he abode with him three days and on the fourth he took leave of him, saying, ‘O my son, abide here till I bring thee the Khalif’s pardon and learn who hath played thee this trick.’ Then he took ship for Ayas, where he took the mule from the inn and returning to Baghdad, foregathered with Hassan Shouman, to whom said he, ‘Has the Khalif asked for me?’ ‘No,’ answered Hassan, ‘nor hath thou come to his thought.’ So he resumed his service about the Khalif’s person and set himself to seek news of Alaeddin’s case, till one day he heard the Khalif say to the Vizier, ‘See, O Jaafer, how Alaeddin dealt with me!’ ‘O Commander of the Faithful,’ replied Jaafer, ‘thou hast requited him with hanging, and it was what he deserved.’ Quoth Haroun, ‘I have a mind to go down and see him hanging.’ And the Vizier answered, ‘As thou wilt, O Commander of the Faithful.’ So the Khalif and Jaafer went down to the place of execution, and the former, raising his eyes, saw the hanged man to be other than Alaeddin and said to the Vizier, ‘This is not Alaeddin.’ ‘How knowest thou that it is not he?’ asked the Vizier, and the Khalif answered, ‘Alaeddin was short and this fellow is tall.’ Quoth Jaafer, ‘Hanging stretches a man.’ ‘But,’ rejoined the Khalif, ‘Alaeddin was fair and this man’s face is black.’ ‘Knowest thou not, O Commander of the Faithful,’ replied Jaafer, ‘that death (by hanging) causes blackness?’ Then the Khalif bade take down the body and they found the names of he first two Khalifs, Abou Bekr and Omar, written on his heels; whereupon quoth the Khalif, ‘O Vizier, Alaeddin was a Sunnite, and this fellow is a Shiyaite.’ ‘Glory be to God who knowest the hidden things!’ answered Jaafer. ‘We know not whether this was he or another.’ Then the Khalif bade bury the body and Alaeddin became altogether forgotten.
As for Hebezlem Bezazeh, the Amir Khalid’s son, he ceased not to languish for passion and desire, till he died and they buried him; whilst Jessamine accomplished the months of her pregnancy and being taken with the pains of labour, gave birth to a male child like the moon. The serving-women said to her, ‘What wilt thou name him?’ And she answered, ‘Were his father alive, he had named him; but now I will name him Aslan.’ She gave him suck two years, then weaned him, and he crawled and walked. One day, whilst his mother was busied with the service of the kitchen, the child went out and seeing the stairs, mounted to the guest- chamber, where the Amir Khalid was sitting. When the latter saw him, he took him in his lap and glorified his Lord for that which He had created and fashioned forth; then eyeing him straitly, he saw that he was the likest of all creatures to Alaeddin Abou esh Shamat; and God informed his heart with love of the boy. Presently, his mother Jessamine sought for him and finding him not, mounted to the guest-chamber, where she saw the Amir seated, with the child playing in his lap. The latter, spying his mother, would have thrown himself upon her: but the Amir held him back and said to Jessamine, ‘Come hither, O damsel.’ So she came to him, and he said to her, ‘Whose son is this?’ Quoth she, ‘He is my son and the darling of my heart.’ ‘Who is his father?’ asked the Amir; and she answered, ‘His father was Alaeddin Abou esh Shamat, but now he is become thy son.’ Quoth Khalid, ‘Alaeddin was a traitor.’ ‘God deliver him from treason!’ replied she. ‘God forbid that the Faithful should be a traitor!’ Then said he, ‘When the boy grows up and says to thee, “Who is my father?” say thou to him, “Thou art the son of the Amir Khalid, Chief of the Police.”’ And she answered, ‘I hear and obey.’ Then he circumcised the boy and reared him after the goodliest fashion, bringing him a tutor, who taught him to read and write; so he read (and commented) the Koran twice and learnt it by heart and grew up, calling the Amir father. Moreover, the latter used to go down with him to the tilting-ground and assemble horsemen and teach the lad warlike exercises and the use of arms, so that, by the time he was fourteen years old, he became a valiant and accomplished cavalier and gained the rank of Amir.
